People and happenings

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Linucon 2.0, September - October 2005 Austin, TX

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People and happenings

This album contains pictures of non-discussion-panel happenings. Mostly, it's geeks playing with food, or, as they would put it, hacking food. :-) Examples: making of ice cream with liquid nitrogen; "cooking" other edibles in liquid nitrogen; and making chupaquesos.

Liquid nitrogen ice cream has a very special place at Linucon. It's made like this: "normal" ice cream ingredients (milk, eggs, flavorings, what-have-you) are mixed in a bowl, and then nitrogen is sprayed on them. It comes out of the can as very cold gas. So cold that it freezes the mix into ice cream in a minute or so.

Other food items can also be "cooked" in liquid nitrogen. As a result frozen droplets of coffee. Or strawberries that shatter when they fall on the floor.

Liquid nitrogen has accrued its own lore. Trying to make ice cream this way in a semi-public place, such as a hotel, inevitably leads to being sometimes misunderstood by the hotel staff and passers-by, so the convention organizers have a funny story or two to tell. Like when Chase Hoffman, the Linucon ConChair, had a run-in with FEMA guys who happened to be in a hotel in Dallas where he ran an anime convention. They were waiting there to be deployed to places affected by the hurricane Katrina. The hotel staff did not recognize the liquid nitrogen can Chase was carrying around -- they thought it was a giant keg. But the FEMA guys did, and it lead to a funny exchange between them and Chase about hazardous materials. :-)

More liquid nitrogen stories can be found in my blog: http://sfragments.blogspot.com/2005/10/my-overall-impression-of-linucon-2005.html#nitrogen

Date: 11/04/2005

Owner: Elze

Size: 19 items

CIMG0809 Howard Tayler

Howard Tayler in the Artists' Alley where he was drawing caricatures.

Date: 09/30/2005

CIMG0843 Blonde in black boots at Linucon 2005

Blonde in black boots at Linucon 2005

Date: 09/30/2005

CIMG0839 Stu Green and Cathy Raymond

Stu Green, who used to be in Austin Linux Group years ago, and Cathy Raymond.

Date: 09/30/2005

CIMG0863 Austin Linux Group

Left to Right: Austin Linux Group president Newton Hammet, Jim Parkhurst and an unidentified person

Date: 10/01/2005

CIMG0864 Jim Parkhurst and Erika

Jim Parkhurst from Austin Linux Group let Erika sit on his lap while she "typed" on his computer. And all 3 or so ALGers that were there enthusiastically complimented her beauty and smarts. :-)

Date: 10/01/2005

CIMG0865 Jim Parkhurst and Erika

Jim Parkhurst from Austin Linux Group let my daughter Erika sit on his lap and "type" on his computer.

Date: 10/01/2005

CIMG0824 Rob Landley and Big O test liquid nitrogen

Rob Landley (in a black T-shirt) and a guy who called himself Big O are testing a can of liquid nitrogen, which will be used to make ice cream and to do other neat things with food (e.g. freeze coffee).

Date: 09/30/2005

CIMG0867 Rob Landley makes ice cream mixture

Rob Landley (in a black T-shirt with caffeine formula) is mixing ice cream (which will be frozen later with nitrogen vapor) while Cathy Raymond (in a grey T-shirt) and other onlookers watch.

Date: 10/01/2005

CIMG0868 Rob Landley makes ice cream with liquid nitrogen

Rob Landley (in a black T-shirt with caffeine formula) is mixing the ice cream that's quickly freezing after being doused with nitrogen gas.

Date: 10/01/2005

CIMG0869 Rob Landley makes ice cream with liquid nitrogen

Rob Landley (in a black T-shirt) is mixing the ice cream that's quickly freezing after being doused with nitrogen gas. Cathy Raymond (standing, grey T-shirt) and other onlookers watch.

Date: 10/01/2005

CIMG0871 Rob Landley, Eric and Cathy Raymond

Rob Landley (in a black T-shirt with caffeine formula) and Cathy are getting ready to serve capsaicin-flavored ice cream, while Eric Raymond is buried in his book.

Date: 10/01/2005

CIMG0880 Jay Maynard and Howard Tayler make chupaqueso

Howard Tayler and Jay Maynard (a.k.a The Tron Guy) gave a chupaqueso cooking demonstration in the Con Suite. For more about chupaquesos, click on picture.

Date: 10/01/2005

CIMG0884 ChupaQueso

Chupaqueso: the finished product.

Date: 10/01/2005

CIMG0888 Chupaqueso audience

These people were watching the chupaqueso cooking demo with (a tad bit morbid?) fascination.

Date: 10/01/2005

CIMG0890 Chupaqueso demo 002_0001

Making chupaqueso: 1. Spread shredded cheese in a circle on a griddle (a pan would do too, I suppose). It melts and forms a pancake which will become the chupaqueso shell. For a link to a video of a chupaqueso demo, click on the image.

Date: 11/04/2005

CIMG0890 Chupaqueso demo 004_0001

Then, Howard folds a side of the shell over the filling. For a link to a video of a chupaqueso demo, click on the image.

Date: 11/04/2005

CIMG0890 Chupaqueso demo 004_0002

Then, he folds the other side of the shell over the filling. For a link to a video of a chupaqueso demo, click on the image.

Date: 11/04/2005

CIMG0890 Chupaqueso demo 004_0003

Then, Howard folds the ends.

Date: 11/04/2005

CIMG0874 Chibi Man

A pair of artists in the Artists' Alley. I guess Chibi Man has something to do with anime. Linucon had a significant anime track, because that's the main interest of Chase Hoffman (the convention chair).

Date: 10/01/2005